| From: | Stainless Steel Rat <ratinox@***.NEU.EDU> |
|---|---|
| Subject: | Weapons Tech (was questions) |
| Date: | Sun, 20 Nov 1994 18:28:55 -0500 |
writes:
David> The Ares HVAR and HV MP-LMG are pictured as having 2 or three
David> rotating barrels. I believe this is rather exotic for weapons of
David> that size.
The 5.56mm "six pack" minigun (I forget the designation). It's a
man-portable 6-barreled Gattling-style cannon patterend after the 7.62mm
minigun. It exists today; it's in limited service with the US Army.
David> The Ballista Multi-role Missile launcher is a backpack sized missile
David> launcher system. I dont think you will find these around anywhere.
HEDP (High-Explosive Dual Purpose) munitions are in use today (try the
M-201 Grenade Launcher) or the chin gun carried by the AH-64 Apache. Take a
Stinger-sized missile, replace the fragmentation warhead with an HEDP
charge, and give it a multi-purpose seeker. Easilly done today, but no real
need for it on the battlefield.
David> Then there is the Ares MP Laser III.
That's one out of three :).
David> And as far as ammo tech goes, caseless rounds are far more common,
David> in fact I believe any SR weapon can be adjusted to fire them.
Ah, yeah, but it's not a standard. The G-11 works today. Caseless
ammunition existed I don't remember how many years ago (there was a .22
caliber caseless round, but it didn't catch on). Someone have a date on
this? Ivy? You still with us?
David> Also, there are APDS rounds for pistols, assault rifles, etc.
David> Smallest we have now are for tanks.
Wrong. Smallest we have in /general use/ is for tanks. It could be done for
nearly any caliber round, but there's no need/desire for it. DS has exactly
one purpoes: penetrate armor. Seing as armor isn't all that common on the
street, well, what's the point? You're not going to hunt with APDS rounds,
are you? It's also expensive to manufacture, and requires much higher
tolerances. There's just no civilian market for them. Then there's the fact
that what the military fields today (steel or steel jacketed) in rifle
calibers will penetrate just about anything a human being can wear and
still be mobile.
David> So, while I will admit that most of the weapons in SR are "old
David> tech", I do think the exceptions are significant enough to allow me
David> some freedom when it comes to these GL rounds.
With the exception of the MP laser, there's /nothing/ in Shadowrun's
firearms that are more than about 5 years down the road from what we have
today, if they're that far advanced.
Armor technology is another matter entirely. Armore technology has advanced
by leaps and bounds, leaving weapons tech way behind, for the very first
time in history. Again, this was done very deliberately by FASA. Given the
rate of advance today, by about 2030 we'll be able to field weapons that,
regardless of what the target is using for armor, will leave a corpse. If
that much. Now, if you want to play with real technological advancement, be
my guest; I'll stick with what's been given and not create a new character
after every firefight, thankyouverymuch.
--
Rat <ratinox@***.neu.edu> |Warning: pregnant women, the elderly, and
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/ratinox|children under 10 should avoid prolonged
PGP Public Key: Ask for one today! |exposure to Happy Fun Ball.
